1. Low 1
Kevin Low
Jennifer Jacks
English 1113
2 Nov. 2010
Hero vs. Zero
At first glance Tony Stewart and Dale Jr. might seem to have a lot in common.
They are roughly the same age, they joined the NASCAR Cup series about the same
time, and both had early success. That’s where their similarities end. Their styles and
backgrounds couldn’t be more different.
Tony Stewart started his racing career at an early age, winning the 4-cycle Rookie
Junior Class Karting Championship at the Columbus Fairgrounds at the age of eight. He
won the International Karting Federation Grand National Championship in 1983, and the
World Karting Association National Championship in 1987.
By 1989, Stewart began the transition from go-karts, to more powerful open-
wheeled machines. He raced Three-Quarter Midgets before setting his sights on the
United States Auto Club (USAC) racing series in 1991.
USAC’s top three national touring divisions are Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown.
After winning the Midget title in 1994, Tony went out and set a new standard of
excellence by winning championships in all three divisions in 1995, something no other
driver had ever accomplished.
The success Tony had in the USAC Series, led to him earning a ride in the up and
coming Indy Car Series. He made the most of it by winning the Indy Car Championship
in 1997.

2. Low 2
Tony started his Nascar career in 1998, racing for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide
Series before making his assault on the Sprint Cup Series in 1999. He won his first Sprint
Cup Championship in 2002 and another in 2005.
Tony Stewart is the only driver to have ever won championships in Stock Cars,
Indy Car, Open-Wheel Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown Cars. His two NASCAR Sprint
Cup Championships made him one of just fifteen drivers who have ever scored multiple
Sprint Cup titles.
His resume isn’t the only thing that sets him apart from Dale Earnhardt Jr. His
aggressive driving and outspoken personality have gotten him into hot water with Nascar
officials on more than one occasion. He was the first driver to ever be fined for making a
comment about NASCAR, outside of NASCAR, when he blasted them on his own Sirius
Satellite Radio program. Tony was fined 10,000 dollars for accusing NASCAR Officials
of “playing God” with overzealous officiating he likened to pro wrestling. He was
referring to the resent outbreak of caution flags for debris late in the race, implying they
were timed to orchestrate closer finishes by bunching up the field (something a lot of
people had been thinking but not saying) (Ryan 1).
“It’s about the integrity of the sport,” Stewart said
“When I feel our own sanctioning body isn’t taking care of that, it’s hard to
support them and feel proud about being a driver in the Sprint Cup Series. I guess
NASCAR thinks, Hey wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess
it’s going to work in racing, too (Ryan 1).”

3. Low 3
Now, thanks to Tony’s outspoken nature, NASCAR must show the debris on the
track anytime they throw a caution flag for debris. Making it obvious why they are
throwing the caution.
Unlike Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a third generation NASCAR driver.
His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., was a seven time NASCAR Champion, and the most
popular driver in NASCAR until his death at Dayton in 2001.
After high school, Dale Jr. went to college and earned a two year automotive
degree and went to work for his father’s Chevy dealership. At age 17, he began racing in
the Street Stock Division at Concord Speedway. Two seasons later he moved up to the
NASCAR Late Model Stock Division, where he competed for three seasons, with little
success.
Riding the popularity of his father, he joined the NASCAR Nationwide Series in
1996. He had some success winning two Nationwide Championships titles, and in 2000
he moved up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Since his dad’s death in 2001, Dale Jr. has been voted by the fans the most
popular driver in NASCAR, even though he is far from the best driver in the Sprint Cup
Series, and has done nothing to improve the sport.
I guess the old adage is true, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.